Metallic Isopod

Idotea metallica

The Metallic Isopod is easily identified by its distinctive metallic blue coloration and the blunt, squared-off shape of its telson. This unique appearance makes it stand out among related species. It is a pelagic species found drifting on debris across the high seas, and it has a circumglobal distribution. Although it can be found at depths ranging from the surface to 1600 meters, the majority of occurrences are at shallower depths, with 51% recorded at less than 40 meters. In terms of reproduction, the Metallic Isopod is gonochoric, meaning it has distinct male and female individuals. Mating typically occurs before and sometimes during the parturial molt, with indirect sperm transfer. The life cycle involves eggs being brooded in the marsupium, which then hatch into manca postlarvae before maturing into adults. Divers encountering the Metallic Isopod may find it drifting in open water, often blown inshore where it faces competition from other isopod species. While its conservation status has not been evaluated, this species is not known to pose any threat to humans.